“The Capital of Israel” – Tour of the government complex and the Knesset

On Tu Bishvat, the Knesset’s birthday, let us embark on a tour of the halls of government of the State of Israel, tracing important decisions, political storms, and a bit of … national pride.

On Tu Bishvat, 1949, the first gathering of elected representatives – that is, the Knesset – took place. In the same year the government of Israel, under the leadership of David Ben Gurion, decided to transfer the government institutions to Jerusalem. The chosen site was a hill in West Jerusalem, which earned the name “Givat Ram.” Government buildings gradually began to be built, and today this hill houses all government branches and most government ministries.

On this tour we will explore the relationship among the three branches of authority, discuss the dilemmas arising from being a Jewish and democratic state, and hear some of the stories of the site.

We will learn about the link between the Knesset and the temples of Greece, between the Bank of Israel and the Louvre, and between the Supreme Court and the Western Wall.

The sites of the tour include the Supreme Court, the Bank of Israel, the Rose Garden, the Knesset Menorah, and the Knesset